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Time Management For System Administrators
Instructor: Tom Limoncelli
With material from:“Time Management for Sysadmins”
http://www.EverythingSysadmin.com
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Who is this guy?SA since 1988, UNIX since 1991
Has worked at companies such as Google, Cibernet Corp, Dean For America, Lumeta, Bell Labs, AT&T/Lucent, Mentor Graphics.
Books:“Time Management for System Administrators”
“The Practice of System and Network Administration”
Not (unreasonably) crazy
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Meeting with My Boss
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Poll: Rate your current TM skills?
0 = disaster5 = expert
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Poll: What are your time management issues?
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Why TM for Sysadmins?
The problems are differentHigher degree of customer interruptions
...and still expected to get projects done...
The solutions are differentWe’re geeks, we can use tools
Lack of mentoringOther careers have more opportunities for mentoring on these issues.
Our mentoring is technical
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What’s covered?
Dealing with Interruptions
Using Routines to “think once, do many”
The Cycle System for:Todo lists
Calendar/datebook management
Long-term and life goals
Prioritization
Q&A and other tips
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What’s not?
Tips on avoiding ProcrastinationExcellent books on the market
Therapy can help
David Burn's "Feeling Good" has excellent advice
Detailed instructions on how to use a PDA
NTP: The Network Time Protocol
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Get control over your life
1. Schedule your work
2. Prioritize what you do
3. Control the hours you work
Impossible? No, completely possible.
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Principles of Time Management
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Principles
One System: Keep all time-management information in once place
Conserve Brain Power: Avoid distractions, focus on one thing at a time
Use Routines: Mass-produce things that you do often. Think once, do many
Same tools everywhere: Use the same tools for your personal-life
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Maintaining Focus
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Focus
How long does it take to complete a 2-day project?
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Focus
Focus is concentrated effort.
“Users always bother me” == “I’m being prevented from maintaining focus”
Interruptions are the natural enemy of focus.
Returning from an interrupt is error-prone.
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The uncluttered brain
Our brain is only so big.
It divides itself among all the things we are trying to focus on.
Unclutter your brain.
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Focus problems we cause
A messy desk
Visually complex items in front of us
Icons on our desktop, Instant messenger clients, music, stock tickers, news tickers, “you have new mail” notifiers, games, multitasking overload.
Clean up your workspace -- Free your mind!
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Redirecting Interrupts
If someone wanted to interrupt you to ask a question, how do they find you?
Does their web browser start-page tell them how to reach the helpdesk?
Are proper channels properly clearly communicated?
Can you re-arrange seating so they walk by your co-workers before they reach you?
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Mutual Interruption Shield
Take turns “fielding interruptions” with a co-worker to permit uninterrupted project time
You field interrupts in the AM, they do it for you in the PM.
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Change Official Structure
Split into a tier 1 / tier 2 structureTier 1 -- “Customer facing”
Handles 80%, bumps 20% up to tier 2
Tier 2 -- “Project & Engineering”
Physical layout:Make sure customers must trip over “customer facing” people to get to Tier 2.
Move Tier 1 offices to high-traffic areas
keep Tier 2 relatively obscured
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Peak time for focus
When during the day can you focus best?Different for each of us.
Do you know your peak hours?
“First hour of the day”-RuleThe fewest interruptions happen the first hour of the day because nobody else
Therefore, don’t use it for junk tasks like email.
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Handling Interrupts without being a JERK
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Principle
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Saying “no” or “not now”
When someone makes a request, they expect to be heard.
Corollary: They will be unhappy if they don’t feel heard.
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Saying “no” with compassion
How to say “no” without sounding rude?Take the customers needs into account
“Say with action” (not words) that the request will be completed
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For each request
Pick one:Record itDelegate itDo it
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I’m in the middle of another project
Not urgent
Not a “while you wait” request
When to “record it”?
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Someone else can do it
Too urgent to put off
When to “delegate”?
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Emergency -- outage effecting multiple people.
It’s my job to react in this situation.
Requests from my boss.
When to “do it”?
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Tips for recording requests:
Three options: (of many)
Create a “ticket”
Write in your Palm/Dayplanner
Have them create the ticket -- tell them the words to use
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Helpdesk Software
Always use ticket-tracking software.If your employer doesn’t use one, be the innovator that sets up such a system.
Excellent free software is available, much of it is better than commercial products (Unless you are very, very big)
RT (Request Tracker): BestPractical.com
Trac: trac.edgewall.org
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Helpdesk Software (2)Without software
Requests get lost
Management can’t track progress
Customers can’t track issues
Customers can’t refer to a ticket number
With softwareRequests get tracked, not lost.
Users know status of issues.
Manager can track issues without bothering SAs
Claims of “I asked for this months ago” verified
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Request Tracker (RT)
http://www.bestpractical.com/rt/
Free software... support contracts available.Help support the software by purchasing a support contract.
RT Essentials (book) from O’Reilly
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Routines
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Get into that old, boring routine!
“I wish I never woke up this morningLife was easy when it was boring.”
Darkness, The Police
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Turn chaos into routines
Schedule key meetings the same time(s) each week
“Gasoline on Sunday”
“Empty water from A/C reservoir as you enter the building.”
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Developing your routines
Repeated events that aren’t scheduled
When procrastinating takes longer than the task itself
Things you forget often
Low-priority tasks that can be skipped now and then but shouldn’t be
Maintenance tasks: IT is like gardening
Relationship development
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Good habits save time
Hesitate before pressing ENTER.
Write the test before the code.
“ping” before and after disconnecting any cable.
Always backup a file before it is edited.
Check for keys before leaving car, house, office, secured area, etc.
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Automatic “Yes” Answers
Would this be a good time to save my work?
Should I bring my PDA/PAA with me?
Should I record this task/event/date in my PDA/PAA?
Should I call now that I’m going to be late?
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The Cycle System
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The Cycle combines
Maintaining a Todo listPerfect follow-though / Never forget a task
A Datebook/CalendarTrack appointments, commitments, events
Long-term and Life GoalsGet where you want to go
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Task management(”todo lists”)
orPerfect Follow-Through
Goal: Never forget a user's request
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The “Todo List”How do you remember user requests?
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Zillions of Scattered Notes
vs.The Never-Ending List
of Dooooooom
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Why do “todo lists” fail?We rely on “known-faulty” hardware
(Our brain forgets)
We don’t keep them all in one placeMany scattered pieces of paper
We keep many listsHalf are out of date
We keep one master listToo big, too scary
The Never-Ending Todo List Of Dooooooom!
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How to make “todo lists” work?
One to-do list per day
Kept in a single place
With you all the time
Easy to access
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Which is better?PDA Planner
Pros:
+ Alarms & Beeps+ Integrates w/ PIM+ Easy backups+ Easy to carry
+ Free-form+ Spontaneous+ Make your ownsystem+ Theft is rare
Cons:
- Not as spontaneous- Many distractions- Inflexible- Upgrades $$$
- No backups- Refills every year
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Anatomy of a Planner
Front Pocket
Lost + Found info
Month-view Calendar
“Page Per Day” Sheets
“Info Sheets” section
A-Z sections
Big enough to fit a folder, or small enough to fit a 8.5x11 sheet folded in half.
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Getting the most out of a Palm Pilot
The PalmOS “Todo” function is very simplistic.
The techniques in this class are more easily done with added Palm software:
DateBook V (www.pimlicosoftware.com)
Life Balance (www.llamagraphics.com)
FranklinCovey software for Palm
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Managing Tasks
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Left Side
One page per dayPre-printed with dates
Daily Task ListStatus, ABC, Task
Appointment Schedule
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Right Side
“Record of Events”
Wide-open space fornotes, ideas, diagrams
special check-lists
“Things to pack” lists
“What to bring” lists
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Exercise: Todo Items
Add these 6 items to your “Daily Tasks” areaCreate account for new user “Bob”
Test new GCC
File bug report: netscan off-by-1 error
JP: demo of new VPN system?
Add web page: new support hours
Cricket: monitor new router
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X Done
— Moved to future day
NO Decided not to do it, record why & who told
• Delegated, record “to whom”
<May 14> More info on May 14’s page
FranklinCovey uses a different notation and that’s ok
Tom’s Item Marking System
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Exercise:Manage Todo Items
1. Mark 1st item: “Done”
2. Mark 2nd item: Moved to next day (just didn’t get it finished)
3. Mark 3rd item: “Done”
4. Mark 4th item: Moved 2 days (He’s on vacation)
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First sheet should look like:
ABC
Prioritized Daily Task List
X Create account for new user “Bob”— Test new GCC
X Report bug: netscan off-by-1 error
— Call JP: demo of new VPN product
Add web page: new support hours
Cricket: monitor new router55
End of day: 2 items left!
ABC
Prioritized Daily Task List
X Create account for new user “Bob”— Test new GCC
X Report bug: netscan off-by-1 error
— Call JP: demo of new VPN product
Add web page: new support hours
Cricket: monitor new router56
Move last 2 items
ABC
Prioritized Daily Task List
X Create account for new user “Bob”— Test new GCC
X Report bug: netscan off-by-1 error
— Call JP: demo of new VPN product
— Add web page: new support hours
— Cricket: monitor new router57
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Leave work with a smile
Clear your “todo” list at the end of the day by moving & marking.
Leave knowing you’ve “managed” all items.
Benefit of paper planner: Physical effort to move items an incentive to get them done.
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Calendar ManagementGoal: Never miss an appointment, meeting, or
social event
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Write down appointments, dates, events, etc.
1 place for all calendar info, including social events.
Review at the start of the day, through out the day, and before you go to sleep.
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How I mark calendar days
Top line: Birthdays days, scheduled vacations (for me and others)
Middle: appointments throughout the day
Bottom line: night activity (“Date with Chris”, “Board Meeting”, “Laundry”)
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27Bob out until 30th
10-11 cm meeting
noon all hands
7pm BZ board mtg
Chris bday
2-2:30 mtg w/CIO group
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PrioritiesGoal: Get the important stuff done, let
everything else slide.
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PrioritiesMark every todo item with an A, B, or C priority
A -- Must be done today (due date is today)
B -- Today, lower priority
C -- Everything else!
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The Daily Plan
Review calendar entriesBlock out time for meetings, events
Enter repeating items
Plan your todo items:Mark A, B, and C priorities
Write in estimated time for each item
Total “A Time” -- Is it more than an 8-hour day?
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Break projects into stepsList time for today’s step
Add this item to each day’s “todo list”
Re-prioritize
Ask boss for advice
Not enough time for “A” priorities?
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Exercise: Plan This Day
First, schedule today’s appointments:
Today’s calendar:10-11am weekly staff meeting
noon-1 lunch
3-4pm Change Management Review Board Meeting
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8910 MEETING11
noon LUNCH123 CMRB45678
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Plan my day
10 MEETING11
noon LUNCH123 CMRB45 Go home!678
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Plan this day (2)
Today’s todo items:(old) Test GCC: 40 minutes
(old) Add new web page: 20 minutes
(old) Add router to Cricket config: 30 minutes
Fix netnews: 45 minutes
Add disk to server: 2 hours
Set up new IDS system: 3 days (next step is 60 min)
Install phone for new-hire (starts next month): 1 hour
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PlanABC
Prioritized Daily Task List
A Test new GCC (40 min)
A Add new web page (20 min)
B Add router to Cricket (30 min)
C Fix netnews (45 min)
A Add disk (2 hours)
A Setup IDS (3 days)
Phone for new-hire (1 hour)72
PlanABC
Prioritized Daily Task List
A Test new GCC (40 min)
A Add new web page (20 min)
B Add router to Cricket (30 min)
C Fix netnews (45 min)
A Add disk (2 hours)
A Setup IDS (3 days)
C Phone for new-hire (1 hour)73
Plan the tasks
Fit the “todo” items into your day
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PlanABC
Prioritized Daily Task List
A Test new GCC (40 min)
A Add new web page (20 min)— B Add router to Cricket (30 min)— C Fix netnews (45 min)
A Add disk (2 hours)
A Setup IDS (3 days)— C Phone for new-hire (1 hour)
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What did your day look like?
Did your day plan exceed 8 hours?How did you manage the overage?
How many items were moved to the next day?
Exercise results:
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Early and Late
Finish a task early?Reward yourself by working on
A fun project
A low priority project
Coffee break!
Task take longer than planned?Re-schedule, re-plan
B and C priorities can be completed later
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Tip: How do you split your time?
A sysadmin was directed to “split your time evenly between helpdesk and projects”. When he planned his day, he added a “todo item” called “interrupts” which was always 50% of his time.
3 hours -- “Interrupts”
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Repeated Tasks
PDA: Used “repeated tasks”.
Planner: Use “info” page to list repeating events (daily/weekly/monthly lists). Copy items in at the start of each day, week, month.
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Principle
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Corollary: If it has to be done today, do it early.
Anecdote: Changing backup tapes.
If it has to be done every day, do it first.
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Principle
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Start Every Day By Planning
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Tip: Schedule fun things too
One unified calendar -- include social plans
Plan a “date night” or “family night”
Only use a second calendar if you have a “classified work-life”
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Life GoalsGet what you want out of life!
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Rocks, pebbles and sandIf you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same is true for your life: If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important in life.
http://www.juliaferguson.com/cool.html
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Make time for the big things
When do we have time for big things?Taking a long vacation
A week writing code to save months of labor
A Google 20% project
Answer: Never!
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So what do we do?
We make time.
We schedule the vacation a far in advance.
Weeks before we...Train the person that covers for us.
Update documentation
etc.
Other “big projects” require the same.
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Life goals:
Goals should be measurable: “Lose 20 pounds by January”, not “Lose weight”
Don’t be afraid to dream
What do you want to accomplish…1 month from now?
1 year from now?
5 years from now?
In your lifetime?
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Exercise: Life goals
Spend 5 minutes writing down your 1m, 1y, 5y, life goals.
Write 1-2 per category (1 work, 1 personal)
Nobody will be seeing these, feel free to write the secret goal that you may be embarrassed to share.
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Actions to achieve goals:
Category: Goal: Actions:
1 Month
1 Year
5 Years
Lifetime
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Goal-planning is a life-time task
Keep your list in your planner
Add new ideas when you think of them
Review it periodically
This 5 minute exercise wasn’t enough timeWeek-long workshops, weekend retreats, family discussions, etc
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Routine: 1st day of month
Re-read list of goals (keep copy in dayplanner)
Sprinkle action items into your schedule that bring you closer to these goals.
PAA: Do it when you load the next month of paper into your organizer
PDA: Schedule a recurring event called “Monthly Goal Review”
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Yearly:Review and revise goal list
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Prioritization
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What’s so bad about FIFO?Distraught over what order to do tasks on your todo list?
What’s so bad about FIFO?
Benefit:it’s easy
older items tend to “bubble” up to the top and get higher priority
sounds great!94
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Prioritizing tasks so that users think you're a genius
Prioritize based on customer perception
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What do customers expect?They want everything NOW but what do they expect?
Some requests should be quick…Assigning an IP address
Reset a password
Something small impeding their work
Some requests take a long time…Installing a new PC
Creating a new service
SAs will drop everything for major outages
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FIFO PrioritizationTask Description Expectation Actual Work Time Completed T1 Reset password 1 minute 10 minutes 9:10am T2 Create new user account Next day 20 minutes 9:30am
T3 Install new server Next day 4 hours (+1 for lunch)
2:30pm
T4 Add new CGI area to web server
1 hour 30 minutes 3:00pm
T5 Order a software package 1 hour 1 hour 4:00pm T6 Debug minor NetNews
error 10 min 25 minutes 4:25pm
T7 Allocate IP address 2 min 5 minutes 4:30pm
T2
T3
T4T5T6 T7
T1
Result:
• All tasks completed
• T7 very unhappy
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Expectation-based Priority
Task Description Expectation Actual Work Time Completed T1 Reset password 1 minute 10 minutes 9:10am T7 Allocate IP address 2 min 5 minutes 9:15am
T5 Order a software package 1 hour 1 hour 10:15am
T4 Add new CGI area to web server
1 hour 30 minutes 10:45am
T2 Create new user account Next day 20 minutes 11:05am T3 Install new server Next day 4 hours (+1
for lunch) 4:05pm
T6 Debug minor NetNews error
10 min 25 minutes 4:30pm
T3
T4T5
T6
T1 T7
T2
Result:
• All tasks completed
• Much happiness
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Summary
In both cases:
All tasks completed
(You did the same amount of work)
In second case:
Customers much happier
You did the same amount of work, but people were happier with your performance
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A More Realistic Situation
Usually one can not plan entire day
New requests spread over day
We can still use this technique:No matter what, permit the interruption
Use ‘expectation model’ to decide if request is done now or is put “on hold”.
If it takes less than 2 minutes, it’s just faster to do it now.
If “expectation” is “it can’t wait”, do it now.
Else... create ticket/send email to yourself.
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Be creative
Pre-allocate your next 2-3 IP addresses
Keep common sysadmin apps running
Automate, automate, automate
Create self-service versions:sudo shell scripts that check inputs do request
CGI scripts that check input then sudo
(Note: Such scripts may result in security holes. Validate inputs, and be paranoid.)
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Two or more sysadmins
A two-person team can use this technique to organize their work:
One person handles interrupts in the AM
The other handles interrupts in the PM
Larger groups can structure their organization around this concept:
Divide day into n even blocks
Each SA takes interrupts during their block
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Organizing a Large IT Group
Organize team into “Tier 1” (front line) and “Tier 2” (back line)
Tier 1Initial contact for customers
Passes long-term or difficult requests to Tier 2
Tier 2Handles issues from Tier 1
Otherwise is project-focused
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“The Cycle” Summary5 minutes each morning: Build a todo list
List relevant “life goals/long-term goals”(from our long-term list)
Block out todays’ meetings/appointments(from our calendar)
List the todo items for the day(from our todo list)
Prioritize
Work the list
At the end of the day:Push unfinished items to the next day
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Cycle Tips
Always bring your PDA/PAA with you.
Always record things in your PDA/PAA or HelpDesk software
Work from the todo list.
Bring it! Record it! Work from it!
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That’s the Cycle!Questions?
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What do we do?
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Everything we do:
Simple things, done once
Hard things, done once
Simple things, done often
Hard things, done often
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Rarely
Often
Easy Hard
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Rarely
Often
Easy Hard
Manually
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Rarely
Often
Easy Hard
Document
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Rarely
Often
Easy Hard
Automate
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Rarely
Often
Easy Hard
Purchase
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Rarely
Often
Easy Hard
Manually Document
Automate Purchase
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REVIEW:Work from a todo list
Start a new list each day.
One place, kept with you always.
Record ALL tasks.
A/B priorities, X=done, -=moved
Live by your calendar (work & social)
Start each day by planning:Record scheduled appointments
A/B/C priorities, client perception first
“Plan your day, then work the plan”
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Time Management For System Administrators
Instructor: Tom Limoncelli
With material from:“Time Management for Sysadmins”
http://www.EverythingSysadmin.com
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